Proverbs 29

A stiff neck breaks suddenly

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.a ²When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.b ³The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.

⁴A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it. ⁵To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet. ⁶Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.

⁷The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all.c ⁸Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger. ⁹If a wise person takes a fool to court, there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.

¹⁰The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, but the upright seek to help them. ¹¹Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.d ¹²If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked.

¹³The poor and the oppressor have this in common— the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both. ¹⁴If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever. ¹⁵To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.e

¹⁶When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall. ¹⁷Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad. ¹⁸When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.f

¹⁹Words alone will not discipline a servant; the words may be understood, but they are not heeded. ²⁰There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.g ²¹A servant pampered from childhood will become a rebel.

²²An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.h ²³Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.i ²⁴If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself. You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify.

²⁵Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.j ²⁶Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord.k ²⁷The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly.